To all the women rolling up their sleeves to make the world a better place, we celebrate YOU this month! It isn’t news to us that women can do all things, and we’re honoring one of ours who keeps getting it done.
This Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating Angela Hilleshiem, one of our selfless leaders who has helped inspire many. Angela is the president, CEO, and founder of All Care Health Solutions, CaringEdge, and president and CEO of One Source Home Health and Hospice. These home health organizations serve over 1,000 patients every day across Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
About Angela:
Angela started her career as a CNA when she was 17 before becoming an RN. Once she got her degree, she quickly moved into a management role as an assistant director of nursing. She enjoyed her leadership role back then so much that she’s remained in leadership.
Today, she has 40 years of experience in healthcare. In the almost two decades she’s spent working in senior living, she has overseen the operations of 137 assisted living facilities and 25 skilled nursing facilities.
Angela’s love for people doesn’t stop when she’s off the clock. She also serves as board president for the Alice Foundation, a nonprofit program that provides temporary custodial care, short-term basic living expenses, transportation, advocacy, medication expenses, assistive devices, utilities, appliances, and companionship to those with chronic diseases and life-threatening illnesses. Angela is also a member of the Idaho Health Care Association board. When she’s not helping others, Angela spends as much time as she can with her daughter.
Building Success:
As it’s often said, great leaders aren’t just born; they’re made. Angela explained that the secret to her success has been surrounding herself with like-minded colleagues who provide care with purpose. She said, “Care is at the forefront of what we do. You can teach a job; you cannot teach or change a personality. A good, honest steward can be taught the job. Everything is possible through education. You have to empower those who work with you to be great. Showing them that what they do is important and matters helps everyone to be able to offer patient care.”
Aside from growth across her organizations, retaining staff has also been a significant success even during challenging times; “We’ve had some excellent key leaders here since we started. It’s not about being at the top; it’s about seeing what everyone else has built. It really isn’t about me; it’s about the people and their growth. The patient care has been extraordinary. We’ve seen incredible outcomes, which comes back to what we do as leaders. It’s been awesome for me to see how people are a part of the solution,” Angela continued.
Role Models:
While Angela has learned from many colleagues and mentors, she credits her parents with the most significant impact. “There have been so many people who have touched my life in so many ways. My parents, specifically, were genuinely encouraging. They always told me I could do whatever I wanted.”
Angela added, “My dad didn’t want me to fall into normal, traditional roles. He said it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female; gender roles should be out of the equation. He taught me how to work hard—I am usually the first person here and the last to leave. My dad was a strong role model.”
Work/Life Balance Thoughts:
A hot topic today is how to balance work and life. Angela has a clear point of view about managing successful businesses and not feeling bogged down; “Love your work so it doesn’t unbalance the rest of your life. It has to do with your passion and finding your purpose so you’re fulfilled at work and at home. What matters to me is being there to help people. Helping others fills my bucket. If I am doing what I love, it doesn’t feel like work because it’s not about the hours.”
Advice For Those Beginning their Careers:
Angela explained, “If anyone else can do it, you can, too. It’s a lot of hard work. Starting is the hardest.”
She also explained that showing yourself grace is important; “Don’t be your worst critic. Love yourself. Love what you’re doing, and go for it. Don’t get in your head. As women, we’re our own worst critics. If you love yourself, others will love who you are, too.”
If you’d like a career with meaning and purpose, consider home healthcare. You’ll help patients live their best lives and learn from some truly outstanding leaders. Click on the links below to learn more:
Former President Jimmy Carter has now been in hospice for a year. This is remarkable news because of the many myths surrounding what hospice can do for those who need it.
The average enrollment for hospice patients is around three months, with the median being just 18 days, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, or NHPCO. Former President Carter’s experience is certainly outside the norm, and it should highlight the program’s unexpected possibilities.
We might often associate famous people and celebrities with various marketable services, products, and charity organizations. It’s exciting to think about Matthew convincing us to buy a Lincoln, but when it comes to a service like hospice, it doesn’t matter who uses it; no one wants it. Most people don’t even want to know about it.
Because hospice holds such a stigma, most of us forgo learning about it until it hits home for ourselves or someone we love. For those living with conditions like heart disease, lung disease, dementia, and stroke, a definitive idea of how long you might have to live and how you will feel is unknown.
Those common diagnoses could qualify someone for hospice care. Hospice care can help people live more meaningful and comfortable days at the end of their lives, but if no one wants to learn about it, the less and less it will be used.
Who Wants to Know?
Many of us scroll over stories and avoid movies where the beloved leading character dies in the end—especially if the character is a beloved pooch! Just like we don’t willingly go out and subject ourselves to a touching story of a dog passing away, we also don’t sign up voluntarily to learn about hospice.
Hospice is a Medicare benefit. We pay into Medicare throughout our working years, and if we need a mobility device or other benefit, we don’t usually bat an eye. However, many don’t often use the support available from hospice because it’s such a loaded word.
The idea that we need to say goodbye, receive proper care and pain management, and make sure our families will be ok feels like looking up to a mountaintop. It’s simply a lot to fathom. Even if we’re diagnosed with a terminal condition, it might be hard to want to learn about hospice, too.
Hospice can be such a fantastic support. If someone is given a bleak prognosis that they never hoped to hear, and things are spinning out of control, hospice can allow patients to have some control.
What are the Goals of Hospice?
To keep patients pain-free but alert
To ensure patients can choose how they wish to pass (e.g., surrounded by loved ones, with music, pets, and favorite things nearby).
To provide support for the patient AND their family/loved ones (hospice will assist loved ones with bereavement support and resources for up to 13 months after a patient passes away
We’ve reviewed hospice myths many times to help people better understand what it can do; however, it’s still underutilized. We’re working to raise awareness about it early before it’s needed or earlier during an illness so that people can consider their options when it feels like there are none.
How Long Can Someone Qualify?
There is no simple answer to this, but we want to spread the word so folks use hospice sooner because the median hospice enrollment is around three weeks. CaringEdge once served a patient in their hospice program for over eight years!
To qualify, a prognosis of passing away within six months or less is required for enrollment. Physicians determine who qualifies to enroll based on the regulations, and they will re-evaluate someone’s condition every six months to decide whether they still qualify.
It’s possible to qualify for hospice for years, and on some rare occasions, people improve and no longer qualify for the program for certain periods. Patients can also choose to discontinue hospice if a new treatment becomes available or if they wish to continue treating their illness.
What Can Hospice Staff Teach Us?
Hospice teams understand the importance of having quality days at the end of life. When the uncertainty causes anxiety and fear, hospice staff can make each day the best it can be. Through volunteers, medications, and talking, they can help ease the anxiety that comes with a terminal illness.
Those working in hospice have been through the dying process repeatedly, and they can bring their expert-level patience and consideration right where it’s needed. Not only can they educate patients on the process, but they can also educate loved ones who may be about to navigate a significant loss for the first time.
Hospice teams can also offer peace of mind that once a patient passes away, their loved ones will have access to resources and support. Sometimes, that’s exactly what a patient needs to calm their anxiety at the end of their illness.
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